Dad Paints His Nails In Solidarity With Bullied 5-Year-Old Son

Aaron Gouveia, the founder of the parenting blog The Daddy Files, painted his nails a pale lavender shade to show support for his 5-year-old son, Sam, who was bullied at school for the red polish he sported.

A Massachusetts father delivered a powerful and inclusive message on Twitter after he says his 5-year-old son was bullied for wearing nail polish to school.

Aaron Gouveia is the founder of The Daddy Files, a parenting blog that boasts more than 14,000 Twitter followers. A former journalist, Gouveia aired his frustrations in a series of tweets late Monday after he says his middle son, Sam, was “ridiculed” by fellow kindergarteners when he painted his fingernails with red nail polish before going to school that day.

This is my son, Sam. He’s 5. And today he learned how shitty and harmful #ToxicMasculinity is. My rage meter is spiking right now so excuse me if this is a little raw but there are some things I want to say about BS #gender norms (a thread) pic.twitter.com/NtoE2VHKsU

Though Sam “loves trucks and plays sports,” he also happens to love a lot of “girl things” like purses and nail polish, Gouveia wrote.

Sam has a collection of purses because he likes to carry things around. And he also loves to have his nails painted bright colors because he thinks they “look beautiful.” And he’s right – they are beautiful… pic.twitter.com/tdMdpJZH5w

So he proudly wore his red nail polish to kindergarten this morning because Sam has absolutely no concept of nail polish only being for girls or reason to think anyone would possibly have a problem with beautiful nails. pic.twitter.com/WsHHupgw9H

Unfortunately for Sam, some of his classmates felt different about his colorful manicure and “called him names and told him to take it off,” Gouveia wrote.

“He was devastated at how other kids turned on him, even his friends,” Gouveia added. “He asked them to stop but that just made it worse.”

He didn’t mince words when it came to the parents of the children that bullied his son, either.

I know these kids are only in kindergarten but this toxic masculinity bullshit is LEARNED. Learned most of the time from parents. So parents, I hope you’re proud. I hope this is what you wanted. I hope you’re satisfied.

Gouveia gave his son the option to take off the nail polish, but also reminded him that a few of his favorite movie characters have worn it unapologetically, including Captain Jack Sparrow (as portrayed by Johnny Depp in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise) and Chris Hemsworth’s Thor.

I told Sam he could take off the nail polish if he wanted but lots of guys wear it like Thor (@chrishemsworth) & Capt. Jack Sparrow. He asked if his fav football player @robgronkowski did. I’m not sure but I told him yes. Sorry, Gronk.

“Intolerant parents and their offspring scored a minor victory today but they won’t win the war,” he said. “I know that because the Sams of the world aren’t going to suffer this bullshit anymore. Of that I have no doubt.”

Be brave and shine bright, my beautiful polished boy. Know that mom and dad always have your back and if the rest of the world has a problem with your nails, they can check out my nail polish! pic.twitter.com/fvjD2IZnNQ

Calling the response “wonderful and overwhelmingly positive,” Gouveia told HuffPost on Tuesday that the experience had given Sam a renewed sense of self-confidence.

“He was so relieved to see all the other men and boys out there who wear nail polish,” the dad said. “Because of that, he wore his bright red nails to kindergarten this morning. The internet can be a cesspool at times, but it can also be life-affirming and wonderful. This is one of those times.”

As a father of three, Gouveia said he’s witnessed gender norms “strangle” his sons’ “creativity, emotions and expressiveness,” and therefore feels committed to “work towards changing it.”

“I’m thrilled that we’re doing so much to empower young girls because that’s absolutely necessary and wonderful, but I feel like boys are still too constricted,” he said. “They can’t wear a dress or paint their nails or do ballet without all the accompanying negativity and so they stop expressing themselves. That’s the real danger of toxic masculinity.”